Musings on Life, fabric and family, from a wife, mother and self employed woman, who has taken 42 years to figure out (artistically) it's OK to play.... a becoming artist, who has a long way to go, but enjoying the journey hugely.

Current Music Cravings

The Boy Who Knew Too MuchMika: The Boy Who Knew Too MuchI was a bit worried when a young artist releases a really wonderful first album. Is that all there is going to be? Is that as good as it gets? Mika once again proves how bloody talented he is. This is a far more lush and darker album. I absolutely love it! Cannot wait to see the boy in action in November 2009!!!! (*****)

We Are GoldenMika: We Are GoldenI am loving this! To say nothing of the film clip ;-). The Boy strikes again. I love it! Cannot wait until the album comes out. Only a few more sleeps now!! (*****)

Number OnesMichael Jackson: Number OnesThis one was brought the day he died. The kids have not let me play anything else in the car ever since. Dear God, as much as I love MJ, please let me play another album one day soon?!?!? (*****)

Measure for MeasureIcehouse: Measure for MeasureSaw the ballet of Boxes which Iva Davies scored. It had the wonderful "No Promises" song. I am loving this album all over again, having just got it on CD. Sort of a Down Under answer to the great Bowie (*****)

The ConversationTim Finn: The ConversationThis is such a lovely album. I never realised how distinctive Eddie Raynor's piano playing is, and how much it can lift Tim Finn's music. Beautiful, balanced, thoughtful, totally immersing - just as a good conversation should be! Love ya Tim. (*****)

P!ink: FunhouseI really like P!nk's music. I particularly love the filmclip to "So What". Gotta love a girl that can take the p!ss outta herself. (*****)

Laura Marling: Alas I Cannot SwimI SO love this album. Really unique. Despite being compared with Duffy and Colbie, I think she maintains her uniqueness and I think is a step up from the rest. I actually paid for a hard copy of this, as I think it's in line with Laura's philosophy of maintaining that intimacy with the recording artist.... Thank you to 666 ABC radio Canberra for turning me onto this artist! (*****)

David Bowie: Best of BowieAh now, what can you say about the man who has been part of your musical life for, like, forever.
Sigh. He's always had it, has still got it and always will! (*****)

Colbie Caillat: CocoReally nice album. Gracie in particular likes this. This just shows you how bizarre my taste is in music. One minute it's the Cavester, then Colbie Caillat. Very easy listening without being like the rest of them there young Americans... (*****)

Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds: Dig Lazurus DigThe Cavester returns. Only he now sounds a little bit like a cross between Tom Waites and Johnny Cash. Not at all a bad mix, just a bit disconcerting. But Nick, like the rest of us is getting on. No longer the skinny teenager scaring the hell out of the mundanes with the Birthday Party... Heh, now those were the days

Soundtrack: Sweeney Todd The Demon Barber Of Fleet Street Deluxe - Complete EditionDespite people hanging sh*t on the very idea of Hollywood making this version, Johnny Depp carries off the title role quite impressively thank you very much.
It's a very different interpretation, and Sondheim has really, really knuckled down on the singers as far as following the highly syncopated melody lines.
This is an incredibly hard musical score and the cast are to be commended on how well they handle it, particularly those actors not known for their singing. (*****)

In Which Annie is Happy

You go to look for an apple to eat and discover that not only has the fridge decided to par freeze said apples, but it has so much ice caked on the back of it that the food is starting to be squeezed out.

What's a girl to do?

Well, I started off with a crying jag at the whole overwhelmingness of the mess, the mess of my life, and the entropy of the looney universe we live in.

Then I got to work.

I dragged out the little CD player (trying to be good and save electricity). Listened to 666 for about half an hour (until the politicians gave me the shits), then cranked up the volume and put in Mika's latest CD.

Well, that had me grooving. Rice porridge dispensed with and the second large mug of coffee under my belt, I started on the laundry. Then, after 30 minutes of defrosting, I started on the fridge. The neato thing about our fridge, is that it frosts up so spectacularly well that it all comes off in one big chunk. Mostly.

Intrigued by the large sheet of ice, I suddenly wondered what it would look like if I tipped food colouring all over it... Gosh darn, it looks something like this:

I wasn't happy with that, so I played some more until I noticed that the back side was doing interesting things.

Possibly I should have raced off and got some cloth and tried dyeing it with this a la a relief painting, but I was just having too much fun (as well as other house wifely duties). But, I don't like the chances of getting light fastness outta food colouring, as much as it is good at staining clothes.

Besides, I figured if I could get enough good shots with the camera, it would make a good textural background for digital manipulation and other such fun:

OK, so the last picture is a bit crappy, but it sure as hell kept me entertained for a while, and made cleaning up a bit more worthwhile.

Sparta decided to do his ironing board barnacle again, after I'd ironed about 7 metres of hand dyed fabric. I do not know what it is about this ironing board, but it's almost as attractive to him as my sewing machine...

He keeps moving every time I try to get a photo. This was about the fifth attempt, which he's got that "Will you not just bugger off with that flashy thing???!!!!" look on his face.

He is loving the very tall kitty gym that his Grandad made for him. I mean, DUDE! Seriously.

Teh bigger teh post, teh closer to teh ceiling kitteh.

Love our cat! He will be turning one on the 7th of November. No more 'kitten' dry food. He can have the big boy food now.

Rest time is over for now. Back to fighting with the house from hell....

Comments

Sweet Cuz! yeah, I have days like that... sigh. BUT, you made it fun playing with the ice and food colours! Good on you. Fun pics too. And you had Sparta for company as well.

So what's with the job application thingy you mentioned on Facebook? Hope all is well with you and the family, despite the sinus thing. Hate having sinus problems - it runs in the family big time. Guifanessen sinus drainage tablets and saltwater nasal sprays: and Sinusbuster pepper fluid spray as an anti-inflammatory. Oh, the things we do...

Skepchick Critical Thinking at its FinestGreat for keeping up with all that is skeptical. Wide variety of posters keep this place interesting. Can get a wee bit narky at times but well moderated. Skepdudes are welcomed, so not just for the Skepchicks. Hawsome site

Rice Freeman-Zachery: Living the Creative Life: Ideas and Inspiration from Working ArtistsI am seriously in love with this book!!! Rice ROCKS! I must admit though, as I read this, I can imagine the bits that Rice left out in order to get it published ;-). A really erudite, entertaining and educative read. Totally immersing. I have visited a number of the blogs in the book, and they're well worth the visit. Don't forget to visit Rice at her blog: http://voodoonotes.blogspot.com (*****)

Robbi Joy Eklow: Free Expression: The Art and Confessions of a Contemporary QuilterWooHooooooo!!!!
I found a brand new copy of this at Canty's for only $12. It had not been touched! I had been longing for this book, but couldn't quite come at the AUSD $50+ at Borders, which was the only place I'd ever seen it in...
I find I don't like copying quilts anymore, but Robbi's thoughts on the artistic process make the book worthwhile. And hey, the section on how she dyes her fabrics is pure bloody GOLD! I am so happy I got my hands on this book. So lucky! (*****)

Walter Isaacson: Einstein: His Life and UniverseI started reading this and got side tracked when I found that Mr Isaacson had written a book on Benjamin Franklin.
I am hoping that this will give me some sort of insight into HOW he thought. That has always fascinated me. How do physics giants think of these huge breakthroughs? (*****)

Walter Isaacson: Benjamin Franklin: An American LifeBenjamin Franklin is one of my top "If you could talk to anyone in history, who would it be" picks.
This is the closest I'll get to having a drink with young Benjamin...
Walter Isaacson is a very talented writer! (*****)

Libby Lehman: Threadplay With Libby Lehman: Mastering Machine Embroidery TechniquesWhat can I say without blathering? This book rocks! I am so very glad that I managed to get my hands on one - FINALLY. I real keeper. Some people find this book a bit ho hum, and one trick pony - Hah! I should have such a one trick pony!! Very informative and a real springboard for thoise wanting to take their quilting b'yont the ditch. (*****)

Tom Phillips: A Humument: A Treated Victorian Novel, Fourth EditionStunning. Absolutely Stunning. As soon as I am able to afford to I'm getting a second copy, just incase anything happens to this one!! A beautiful example of the altering of a book - well before it became trendoid. I love the really disturbing poetry as well as the all over eye candy. (*****)

Hayden Herrera: FridaFantastic read! A must for the serious student of Ms Kahlo. I love her art, what can I say. Fascinating insights into her personal life. This will see me through until I can afford her journal... (*****)

Jane Dunnewold: Complex ClothWhat can I say. Surely one of the most essential books to the creative textile artist's library. I just keep coming back to this one. I've also got the DVD now, which is just EXCELLENT. This book, IMHO, is like, beyond ratings. (*****)